It's August 1, 1977! Hogwarts is still closed to everyone! We have blue skies and it's surprisingly warm. So everyone should go out and enjoy the nice fresh air while we still can. Shops will be open soon so students may purchase their supplies

“You may want to take a look in the mirror in search of the guy that Kat’s crushing on.” Joc blushed a bit at Sirius’ statement about how any man would be lucky to be with her. “I never said you weren’t odd, Sirius, just that in comparison to some of the guys at school you’re not that odd.” Joc stuck out her tongue at him.

Kat sat stunned at Sirius' words; she didn't expect that from him and she had to admit they stung more than she thought they would. She could feel her tears building up, but she refused to let them escape.

Sirius smiled at Joclynn, "Aww..." he cooed as he looked at Kat. "You had me worried there for a -" he trailed off and looked at Kat worriedly as tears built up in her eyes. "Kat? What's wrong?" he asked as tears started to build in her eyes. "Tell me." he said softly but seriously. Why was she crying? What did he do?

Kat looked at Sirius and shook her head. "Sorry, I'm just being stupid today." She whiped away an escaped tear. "I thouht... I thought you... really meant what you said..." She felt stupid for taking his words to heart, she should have know he was joking. "Sorry." She whispered as she lowered her head, embarressed at herself.

Sirius looked into her eyes, "Kat, I'm not breaking up with you because you have a crush on me. I'm glad that you fancy me actually, because well, we're dating." he said smiling. He felt horrible about making Kat cry, he had no idea that she would take it so harshly. He didn't mean for her to cry. He had been thinking that it was him but Kat's reaction started to form doubts in his mind. Why else would she have thought he was breaking up with her? He frowned, "Kat, was there someone else you were thinking about when I said that?" He cursed in his head Kat must have had feelings for another guy. "I can't believe this." he said as anger pulsed through him. He was debating on getting up to leave.

"You are the only one I like. I have had a crush on you forever. You just sounded so serious that it scared me." She felt his anger rising. "You can ask Joc, I have like you since at least fifth year, if not earlier." She grabbed his hand and held it tightly, refusing to allow this to get between them. "You are the only one for me. I like you and I want to be with you and only you." She wasn't sure how mad he still was but she leaned forward and kissed his with as much passion as she could muster.

Sirius bit back his anger. He took a deep breath and replied as calmly as he could, "Why would you be scared if you didn't fancy someone else?" He blinked slowly when Kat grabbed his hand, he really didn't want to be mad at her but he was extremely frustrated at the moment. He smiled slightly when she told him he was the only one for her, but before he could respond she was kissing him. He let her kiss him for a few seconds before responding to the kiss. Eventually he pulled away from her and smiled brighter. Inwardly he cringed, it was their second date and they had a fight, because of a misinterpreted joke. He smiled on the outside though not letting any of these feelings show. "Sorry about what you just had to witness Joc. Someone here can't keep her hands off of me. he said winking at Katherine.

"Its fine, Sirius, and it seems to have calmed her down." She didn't know what had been going through her friends mind but she did notice that she may need a minute or two to calm herself. "Kat your hair is looking a bit tangled, why don't we go to the washroom and get you straightened up?"

Kat sighed. She knew that she had messed up and hoped that it wouldn't make a difference in the long run. It was only their second date and she had freaked out. She heard Sirius teasing her but she noticed that his smile didn't seem as geneuine as normal. "Sure Joc. I'll be right back." She kissed Sirius on the cheek before following Joc; hoping he'd still be there when she got back.

Joc and Kat went to the wash and she did actually straighten Kat’s hair. Once she finished she looked at her friend and fixed any messed up make up. “Are you okay? What happened out there?” She knew her friend was one to just break down and it had to have been something more then what was going on on the outside.

Kat looked at herself in the mirror and watched Joc fix her hair and make up. "I'm not sure exactly." She looked in the mirror and saw her friends face and knew she didn't believe her. "Home life is getting to me that's all. It's been worse than normal and I'm having trouble keeping my emotions in check lately is all." After telling this to Joc she knew Sirius needed to know this too, otherwise things might all come crashing down.

“Does Sirius know anything about your family?” Joc knew it wasn’t first date conversation but if its affecting her like this then he did need to know. Joc hugged her friend, she knew it could break her just as much as she knew she needed it.

She smiled at Joc's teasing. "We should probably get back out there. Hopefully he will still be there." She tried to smile again, but failed. She was really worried that she messed up and that he had left.

Joc frowned when Kat didn’t regain her smile after making her comment. “I’m sure he’s still there, but he did seem a little tense before we’d left so he may need a moment.” She didn’t want to discourage her friend but she also knew better then to try and sugar coat it.

Kat was glad her friend didn't sugar coat reality. She nodded at her friends words and then silently headed out of the bathroom. She stopped at the bar and got two bottles of firewhiskey, one for her and one for Sirius if he was still at the table; if not she'd drink both. Once she got the drinks she took a deep breathe and made her way to the table.

Joc followed her friend but didn’t want to look at the table where they had left Sirius, she may have said that he probably hadn’t left but she still wasn’t sure and didn’t want to find out just yet whether or not Sirius was still there, she’d find out soon enough one way or the other.

Sirius sat alone at the table for a while as the girls were in the bathroom. He was glad that they left, he needed the chance to calm down. So many things were running through his head, not a single one of them good. He was very tempted to just leave, but he couldn't do that. Especially not with Katherine still so upset. He didn't want to break up on the second date. The waitress brought him another butterbeer and said to him, "I heard that little fight you and your girl had, don't let it get to your head. She was probably just mixed up." Sirius laughed bitterly and smiled at her, "Yeah you're probably right." He handed her a couple of coins. "Keep the change." he said smiling. She grinned and walked away. Sirius sat and looked out at the street waiting for Katherine and Joc to come back, he had calmed down now and felt that he could handle the awkwardness that was bound to come.

Joc looked over at the table and saw that Sirius hadn’t left and she glanced at Kat who had obviously notice at the same time. Joc knew that they may need a minute so she silently urged Kat to go on by herself and Accioed her firewhiskey and took a seat at the bar to give them another moment alone.

Kat took a deep breath and headed to the table. She was glad that he had stayed. She sat down and set the firewhiskey in front of him. "Here. It's a peace offering." She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes all the way. "I want to apologize for how I reacted." She paused. "I've had a really bad week at home, worse than normal, and I have had trouble keeping my emotions in check lately and I didn't mean to take it out on you." She took a swig of her firewhiskey and looked down.

Sirius nodded and took the peace offering that Kat held out for him. He didn't drink it though, merely let it sit there on the table. He had a butterbeer that he was still drinking. He noticed how fake her smile was, then he noticed how he wasn't smiling at all. He sighed and looked at her searching her for answers. "Don't worry about it." he said feeling his shoulders sink. "I only meant it as a joke." Inwardly he was groaning, he usually messed things up with jokes gone wrong but he had actually thought Katherine wouldn't be like all those other girls. He sighed, "But that's besides the point, what do you mean worse than usual?"

"I know you were joking and I reacted wrong. I shouldn't have gotten upset." She had messed up and was hoping that everything would work out. She sighed when he asked about her home life. "My father is punishing me more. Usually its just a curse here and there but lately it's been multiple times daily." She paused momentarily. "He actualy has made me black out a lot lately. Today he got me twice before I left the house."

Sirius frowned as Kat told him about her father. The story was all too familiar. It used to be his life. But both of his parents used to do that to him. He silently thanked Merlin that Kat didn't have that. Not that it made it easier for her, from the sounds of it her father was horrible. He paused for a second before saying something, "I don't know what to say. I really appreciate you telling me the though." he paused again when he thought about the time he told the guys all about his home life. He turned back to Katherine, "Is there somewhere else you can stay? I hate to hear about you having to go through this." he said honestly. He looked her right in the eye, "My life used to be just like yours. With your parents and all, I mean. And there are ways out of it. I ran away. There's a solution to every problem."

She felt the start of a smile on her face when he thanked her. "I have nowhere else really. I mean I could stay with Joc but then I'd bring my father's wrath upon them." She shuttered slightly. She didn't want Joc to have to deal with her dad. "I've debated on running away many times, but I couldn't do it." She paused. "I don't know where I would go if I left. I have thought of getting a room here before but I know my father would find me." She was afraid to look Sirius in the eye, afraid to find the look of pity on his face.